Driver

The driver includes all performance aspects imaginable and some aesthetics control as well. Like the Sentinel Advance the Naos 5000 lets the user change the color of the lights from the default green to pretty much any color you like. SQAT is another interesting feature and it stands for surface quality analyzing technology, it is basically a small program you launch that uses info from the sensor to judge whether the surface is good or bad. I tested the SteelSeries S&S the 9HD, a QPAD UC and my desk, and while the real mats yielded a rating of "Excellent" the desk surface only made it to "Good".

Performance

The performance of the Minoix Naos 5000 is really good, it is a solid performer in all aspects right from pure tracking capabilities to ergonomics. What I really like about the Naos 5000 is that the sensor scales really well which enables you to get the sensitivity just right for your needs. Performance wise the Naos 5000 is on par with the SteelSeries Xai Laser mouse, they have a very similar feel in game with the same setup. Even though you do not get to tweak the angle snapping / prediction properties like on the Xai it is a non issue with the mouse. The Naos 5000 has no detectable angle snapping so it feels like the Xai with it turned down to a minimum. Of course you do not get to add it in the Naos setup, but that is alright.

One of the things that I was not totally convinced by with the Xai was the scroll wheel which to me lacked a little tactile feedback, Minoix have definitely tweaked it closer to perfect. While I enjoy a smooth scrolling experience in Windows and general applications it is a bit annoying in games. The Naos scroll wheel possesses a brilliant balance between the two, smooth enough for application use and you have enough feedback to be able to securely switch weapons with it in games.

While the Minonix does everything really well it does have one flaw that is annoying. The mouse has a distinct tendency to wobble back and forth due to either the feet or the bottom of the mouse not being completely level. This issue is less pronounced on cloth mats, but on hard mats you feel it every time you push the mouse towards your arm. Maybe the problem will be cured over time as you wear down the mouse feet.

Ergonomics are good, but forced which means that your hands need to fit the grip in order to be super comfy to use. My hands are quite large and the bulges on the right side of the mouse were a bit too steep angled in order to fit my fingers. Also the thumb buttons are placed too close to my wrist when I try to grip the mouse correctly, if you have normal sized or even small hands this mouse will most likely fit you perfectly.